Neil Peart documentary only features people who actually liked him

Oh boy, are you guys ready for some serious nostalgia and possibly a few tears? 🤯 A new documentary about the legendary RUSH drummer Neil Peart, titled “Neil Peart: No One’s Disciple”, just premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, and I’m still trying to process my emotions 🤷‍♂️. I mean, who wouldn’t want to watch a 96-minute film about one of the greatest drummers of all time? 🤘

The documentary, directed by Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn of Banger Films (the same guys who brought us “Beyond The Lighted Stage” back in 2010), takes us on a journey through Peart’s life, from his tough start as a young artist to his rise to fame with RUSH. And, of course, it features interviews with Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, because who better to talk about Peart than his bandmates? 🤔 The film also includes new live performances of RUSH classics, with Chad Smith, Stewart Copeland, Danny Carey, and Gavin Harrison filling Peart’s seat at the drum kit. I mean, can you imagine watching these drumming legends play RUSH songs? 🤯 It’s like a dream come true… or a nightmare, depending on how you feel about drum solos 🙄.

But seriously, the documentary is not just about the music; it’s also about Peart’s personality and his connections with other musicians. As Sam Dunn told Modern Drummer, “We decided fairly early on that we wanted to make a film about Neil that only featured people that knew him personally.” Because, let’s be real, Peart was a private person, and it’s not like we can just go around interviewing random people about him 🙅‍♂️. Dunn also mentioned that they chose the drummers who appeared in the film because Peart was a fan of their work, which is just a nice touch 🤗.

The Making of the Documentary

So, how did the filmmakers get their hands on all the live performance and rare footage used in the documentary? Well, it turns out they had a lot of material from their previous work on “Beyond The Lighted Stage” and “Rock Icons”, which is just convenient 🙄. They also reached out to Peart’s friends and family to dig up some rare footage, because who doesn’t love a good treasure hunt? 🏵️‍♀️. As Dunn said, “We have actually been documenting RUSH for 15 years now, so it kind of feels like we were the ones to make this film, and perhaps the only ones, because we have this collection of material with this band that we’ve been shooting for, for a long time.”

But, of course, the documentary is not just about the music and the footage; it’s also about Peart’s legacy and his impact on the music world. As we all know, Peart passed away on January 7, 2020, after a three-year battle with glioblastoma, and it’s still hard to believe he’s gone 🙏. RUSH announced his passing three days later, and the outpouring of grief from fans and musicians was overwhelming 💔. And, as Geddy Lee revealed in 2022, Peart wanted to keep his cancer diagnosis a secret, which is just… wow, what a private person 🙏.

RUSH’s New Tour

But, enough about the documentary; let’s talk about RUSH’s new tour, because, yes, they’re still touring 🤘! The “Fifty Something” tour kicked off on June 7 at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, California, and it features a revamped lineup with Anika Nilles on drums and Loren Gold on keyboards 🎸. The tour has been selling out left and right, because who doesn’t want to see RUSH live? 🤩. And, as Lee and Lifeson announced, they’ve added even more dates to the trek, because why not? 🤑. The shows feature two sets each night, with a distinct selection of songs from their catalog of around 40 tracks, including their greatest hits and fan favorites 🎶.

So, there you have it; a new documentary about Neil Peart, a new RUSH tour, and a whole lot of nostalgia 🤯. What more could you ask for? 🤔 Oh, and if you’re feeling sad about Peart’s passing, just remember that his music lives on, and we can still rock out to “Tom Sawyer” and “The Spirit of Radio” 🤘. Cheers to that! 🍺

Chord F. Discord

Chord F. Discord, the Beethoven of Buffoonery, is a self-taught expert in music who once claimed he could “play the kazoo in four languages.”

Born in Crescendo, Indiana, Chord’s first brush with fame came when he accidentally entered a yodeling contest thinking it was a pie-eating competition—and won both categories.

Chord F. Discord: proving that laughter, much like a poorly tuned ukulele, is truly universal.